At 27 years old, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has joined an elite club that includes legends like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Bill Russell. The Oklahoma City Thunder guard became just the 14th player in NBA history to win back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards, cementing his place among the game's greatest and proving that a small-market franchise can produce transcendent talent.
Gilgeous-Alexander received 83 first-place votes and accumulated 939 points in a ballot of 100 voters, far outpacing runner-up Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and third-place finisher Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. But for Gilgeous-Alexander himself, the honor carries a meaning that extends far beyond personal accolades.
"It's special - not really for me personally but more so for the city and organisation," he said.
The milestone is notable for its rarity. Gilgeous-Alexander is the first player to achieve back-to-back MVP honors since Jokic claimed the award in 2021 and 2022. He's the first guard to do so since Stephen Curry accomplished the feat in 2015 and 2016. His win also signals a shift in the NBA's competitive landscape, with a new generation of stars rising to the sport's highest individual honor.
The 2024-2025 season showcased exactly why Gilgeous-Alexander earned the distinction. He averaged 31.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds across 68 games, leading the Thunder to a 64-18 regular season record—the best in the league. His performance came on the heels of a four-year contract extension worth a reported $285 million (£214 million), a investment that now looks like a bargain for a franchise that has emerged as a legitimate championship contender.
For Oklahoma City, a city better known for its tornadoes than its basketball prowess, Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP crowns represent something larger: proof that patience, drafting, and development can transform a rebuilding team into a dynasty in the making. The Thunder's trajectory from lottery picks to league dominants offers a template for small-market teams seeking to compete with the traditional powers.
As the playoffs continue, Gilgeous-Alexander has the opportunity to add team success to his individual hardware. But regardless of how far the Thunder advance this season, his back-to-back MVP awards have already rewritten the narrative around what Oklahoma City can achieve.